Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2018/08/19/wwe-summerslam-report-feat-brock-lesnar-vs-roman-reigns/
Welcome to POST Wrestling’s coverage of the WWE’s SummerSlam event from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
I will be covering the show throughout the night.
Feedback to the show can be submitted to the POST Wrestling Forum.
Wai Ting and I will have our WWE SummerSlam POST Show out late Sunday night.
The kickoff panel featured Renee Young, Sam Roberts, Booker T. & David Otunga.
JBL and Peter Rosenberg were also part of the kickoff show.
New Day did a backstage promo, Xavier Woods dedicated their match to the late Francesca tonight.
There was a tremendous video package for Daniel Bryan and The Miz combining many of the clips from the videos that ran on this past week’s edition of SmackDown.
Booker T. blames JBL for all the problems from The Miz because he was kicked out of the locker room and bullied.
Aiden English apologized again to Rusev & Lana and was told to stay behind tonight.
ANDRADE CIEN ALMAS & ZELINA VEGA VS RUSEV & LANA
The audience was still filing in but Rusev still received a good response and chant at the beginning.
Each side did their set of poses to intimidate.
Almas did the Minoru Suzuki spot with the armbar on the ropes.
Rusev shoved Almas off the top turnbuckle to the floor. This led to Lana receiving the tag and the women were in for the first time.
Lana did a spin-a-roonie and running double knees to the back of Vega’s neck. The audience started singing, “Lana is the best”.
Vega ran Lana into the turnbuckle, set up for the running knees and was met with a flying kick. Lana tried to slap Almas, who was yanked off the apron by Rusev. He returned, Lana slapped him, this led to Vega rolling her up but was too far away from the ropes, she was supposed to use the rope for leverage but didn’t get them on the rope until the very end of the count.
WINNERS: ANDRADE CIEN ALMAS & ZELINA VEGA AT 7:02
It wasn’t anything special, of note was the audience reacting when Lana received the tag and they essentially split the match in half between the men and women. Aiden English never got involved.
Jerry Lawler joined the panel for the second part of the kickoff show.
Charly Caruso interviewed Paul Heyman backstage, she asks if everything with Brock Lesnar was an elaborate ruse. Heyman said Brock Lesnar is going to get rid of Roman Reigns and is preparing to take the UFC heavyweight title from Daniel Cormier. Reigns will not come back for more after tonight.
Kurt Angle, Paige & Drake Maverick were together in their office. Paige said each of their shows has great lineups at SummerSlam, which was very kind to Drake.
Baron Corbin walked in, he told Angle to have Brock Lesnar’s private locker room ready. He mocked Drake for being short.
CEDRIC ALEXANDER VS DREW GULAK FOR THE CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE
Gulak was wearing red, white & blue trunks.
Gulak called Alexander, “the Brock Lesnar of 205 Live”, which is an insult in 2018.
Alexander went to enter the ring and was met with a boot and neck breaker on the floor.
Gulak worked the neck for several minutes until Alexander landed a spinning flatliner. Gulak rolled to the floor and he took a tope con giro, which was the first notable reaction from the audience.
Alexander was knocked off of the turnbuckle, the Gu-lock was applied on the ropes, so he had to release the hold but again focused on the neck. Gulak pulled him to the center, attempted the Gu-lock again, but was blocked by Alexander and he landed a spinning elbow.
Gulak drops him with a hard slap, Alexander went for a handspring and into an ankle lock attempt that Alexander escaped, he went for the standing Spanish Fly, Gulak countered into a cradle, they traded near falls and ended with Alexander stacking him for the win.
WINNER: CEDRIC ALEXANDER AT 10:40 TO RETAIN THE CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE
The audience wasn’t with it for the majority but they had a very well-worked match, building to a few key spots and having a super finishing sequence of near falls that brought up the tempo. I enjoyed the match for the position they were in and both did a very good job.
Peter Rosenberg and JBL previewed the three-way match between Carmella, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch.
The panel interviewed Samoa Joe, who congratulated Renee for his two-income household now that Dean Ambrose is back to make a paycheck. Joe doesn’t fear retaliation because he has Styles right where he wants him. Joe said he has Styles “mentally broken” and is acting like a phenomenal “victim”. Joe questions if Styles is doing all this for his family or for his ego. Joe was great during this promo and ended by telling Styles to get a pillow ready because he is going to put him to sleep.
THE B TEAM VS THE REVIVAL FOR THE RAW TAG TITLES
The Revival hit the Shatter Machine to Axel within the first minute, but he isn’t the legal man.
They worked on the left leg of Dallas in their corner. Dallas was being attacked until he ran Dawson into the corner. Wilder drilled Axel off the apron to prevent the tag from being made. Dallas landed a top rope spinning neck breaker to Wilder, he finally made the tag to Axel.
Wilder prevented Axel from hitting the Perfect Plex, the referee was distracted with Dallas & Wilder on the apron, Dawson turned it into a small package, Wilder snapped Dallas’ neck on the top and he fell over top of them and reversed the cover as Axel pinned Dawson.
WINNERS: THE B TEAM AT 6:12 TO RETAIN THE RAW TAG TITLES
The Revival did a great job when they isolated Dallas and the finish was clever. For now, people are into The B Team and coming up with new ways to fluke their way into victories, but it feels like a short-term novelty.
DOLPH ZIGGLER (W/ DREW MCINTYRE) VS SETH ROLLINS (W/ DEAN AMBROSE) FOR THE INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE
The audience went insane for Ambrose and Rollins’ entrance.
Ziggler had a design of the Intercontinental title around the waist of his tights.
Ambrose gets into McIntyre’s face on the floor at the start.
Cole mentioned Ziggler’s performance at Caroline’s on Friday but clarified that “tonight is no joke”.
Ziggler attacked the left knee of Rollins. Ziggler wore him down with a choke while controlling his back and going back to the knee with stomps. Rollins tried to fight back and was dumped over the top and landed on the floor, further injuring the left knee.
In the ring, Rollins rolls through on a crossbody, they go over the rope and to the floor. Coach says this it the most important title run of Ziggler’s career.
Rollins knocked Ziggler down from the turnbuckle, Ziggler rolled away, he was clotheslined to the floor and Rollins proceeded with a suicide dive and springboard clothesline back into the ring. Ziggler kicked out from the ripcord knee.
Ziggler kicked Rollins into the corner post from the edge of the apron and followed with a jumping DDT onto the apron. Rollins beat the count back in at nine.
Rollins landed a superkick, went for the frog splash and landed onto Ziggler’s knees, Ziggler went for the cover and it was a strong near fall.
Rollins scaled to the top for an inverted superplex and into an elevated inverted DDT for the most impressive sequence of the match thus far. The audience provided a standing ovation for the spot and near fall.
McIntyre sent Ambrose into the steps, this set up a Zig Zag by Ziggler and Rollins kicked out. Rollins was cut open on the forehead. Ambrose came back and hit the Dirty Deeds to McIntyre on the floor. Rollins landed the stomp and pinned Ziggler.
WINNER: SETH ROLLINS AT 22:01 TO WIN THE INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE
This was an excellent opener to the main card as they received lots of time, the near falls were spaced out and generated the biggest reactions of the match. The big sequence was the inverted superplex spot. Ambrose and McIntyre’s involvement was limited but played into the finish and was a great presentation all around.
Coach was pushing the idea of Ziggler and McIntyre needing to sit down and talk after this loss.
Renee Young was backstage and interviewed The Bella Twins, they are here to witness history. They were asked about the Evolution pay-per-view, but said they were busy with all their businesses and televisions shows and were here tonight to “have fun”. They will be sitting in the front row tonight to watch Ronda Rousey become a champion.
THE BLUDGEON BROTHERS VS BIG E & XAVIER WOODS FOR THE SMACKDOWN TAG TITLES
The Bludgeons got the advantage on Woods at the beginning of the match. They knocked Big E off the apron to the floor with Rowan slamming Harper on top of Big E.
They tried to powerbomb Woods onto the steps, but he fought them off and avoided it. E received the tag and hit Rowan and Harper with belly-to-belly suplexes on the floor.
Woods came with a tope con giro into Rowan but was hit with a spinning side slam by Harper. E dove and speared Harper off the apron to the floor. Rowan came off the apron with a crossbody to Big E on the floor.
They hit the crucifix bomb to Big E, but Woods saved and was tagged in. Woods kicked out of a sit-out powerbomb delivered by Harper.
Big E hit the Big Ending onto Rowan on the floor. They fought on the edge of the apron with Big E going for a uranage off the apron to drop Harper onto the knees of Woods on the floor but didn’t land it.
Woods hit the Limit Breaker elbow drop to the floor onto Harper.
Rowan attacked Woods and Big E. with a mallet and the bell was called, the audience wasn’t happy as it had built into a very good match.
WINNERS: NEW DAY BY DISQUALIFICATION AT 9:28
Corey Graves said, “this is unholy”.
It seems like this program will extend on SmackDown, it was a really entertaining match until the finish, which was a disappointing way to execute a disqualification.
There was a trailer for “Total Divas” that returns September 19th.
Jon Stewart was shown in the audience with his son.
BRAUN STROWMAN VS KEVIN OWENS FOR THE MONEY IN THE BANK BRIEFCASE
There was a loud “Get These Hands” chant before the match began.
Owen was shoulder blocked to the floor, ran around the ring and sent him down with another. He continued and turned Owens upside down.
Strowman choke slammed him on the ramp, hit the powerslam inside the ring and pinned Owens.
WINNER: BRAUN STROWMAN AT 1:55
The announcers called it “one-sided”, and it certainly was.
CARMELLA VS BECKY LYNCH VS CHARLOTTE FLAIR FOR THE SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S TITLE
Carmella slapped Becky in the back of the head, snuck away and Becky accused Charlotte of slapping her and they argued.
Both Charlotte and Becky were knocked down on the floor, Carmella did her own strut as she stood above them.
Carmella had the advantage over Becky and mocked her inside the ring. Charlotte returned and took out Becky with a running boot, which was originally directed at Carmella, but Charlotte didn’t signal that it was errant. Carmella stopped the figure-four and kicked her into the ropes and took a knee strike from Becky.
Charlotte returned to spear Carmella while she had control of Becky and tried unsuccessfully to pin both.
Carmella went for a handspring ‘rana off the top, was stopped by Charlotte who dropped her off the turnbuckle and applied the Boston Crab and transitioned to the figure-four, which was broken by a top rope leg drop from Becky.
Carmella landed a suicide dive on Becky. Charlotte climbed to the top and hit a corkscrew to both on the floor, but barely connected with either.
Charlotte attempted Natural Selection but Becky countered into the Disarmer, Carmella broke it up and was thrown to the floor. Becky landed a big uranage to Charlotte and Carmella returned to break the cover.
Carmella got several near falls by using the rope for leverage and another with a superkick.
Charlotte was sent to the floor, Becky applied the Disarmer to Carmella, who reached the rope. Becky suplexed her into the center, re-applied the Disarmer, Charlotte broke it with the Natural Selection and pinned Becky.
WINNER: CHARLOTTE FLAIR AT 14:40 TO WIN THE SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S TITLE
The audience booed afterward, Charlotte and Becky hugged in the middle of the ring to more boos as they wanted Becky to win.
Becky decked Charlotte and the place exploded with cheers as she grabbed the title and held it up. This felt the same as when Bayley attacked Sasha Banks where they cheered the attack. Becky tossed Charlotte over the announcer’s desk and the arena chanted, “Becky”. Graves was pushing how he liked it, while the others were shocked at her actions, so it seemed designed to turn Becky.
They chanted, “you deserve it” at Charlotte.
For the first half, I felt this was very clunky and they seemed off with their timing and getting in the way of one another.
The final few minutes picked up with the near falls and teases between Becky and Charlotte winning.
AJ STYLES VS SAMOA JOE FOR THE WWE TITLE
Wendy Styles and their four-year-old daughter were shown in the crowd.
During the in-ring introductions, Joe grabbed the microphone and pointed out Wendy in the crowd and their daughter. He said, “Daddy is coming home tonight.” Styles said they are here to see him kick his ass.
The audience began chanting, “TNA”.
Joe kicks out the leg of Styles on the edge of the apron. Joe takes over and lands a tope suicida to the floor. Joe leveled him with a big lariat and applied a side headlock to wear him down. Later, he went for another tope suicida and was stopped with an enzuigiri from the floor and Styles began a comeback.
Styles landed a backflip into an inverted DDT off the turnbuckle.
Styles kicked out following a big boot and senton. Styles caught him on the shoulders and hit the Landslide onto Joe. He set up for the Styles Clash but it was stopped by Joe. Joe ducked the phenomenal forearm and hit a powerslam for a two-count.
Styles caught Joe and hit the Styles Clash but only hooked one of Joe’s arms, Joe kicked out.
Joe comes back with big slaps, Styles lands a Pele kick and then runs into a uranage from the corner by Joe.
Styles rolled into the calf crusher and had it locked in, but he drilled Styles into the mat and applied the Coquina clutch and trapped the arm with his leg as Styles got one foot to the rope.
Joe signaled for the muscle buster, he set up Styles on the turnbuckle but then dropped Styles with an enzuigiri and he fell to the floor. Styles was sent into the steps and was bleeding.
Joe stood on the announcer’s desk and told Wendy that “Daddy is coming home”, Styles may not be, “but I will”.
This prompted Styles to dive onto the desk and tackle Joe into the timekeeper’s area as he snapped and attacked Joe with a chair as the bell was called.
WINNER: SAMOA JOE BY DISQUALIFICATION AT 22:45
The audience chanted, “who’s your Daddy?” and Styles continued with the chair shots to Joe.
I thought this match was tremendous and had no issue with the finish, they more than delivered and gave a believable reason for Styles to resort to his actions.
Styles went to his family, apologized to his daughter and left with them. His daughter said, “Daddy, you’re bleeding.”
There was a promo for Hell in the Cell.
Elias was introduced, he explained he was once a child and then grew up to write the greatest album ever. He is going to debut his greatest song yet and was going to do it here in Brooklyn. He is dedicating the song to the New Yorkers before insulting them. Elias went to play and his guitar broke and he tossed it away. That was it.
The Miz was backstage and ran into The B Team, he said they are feeding off his reputation and doesn’t need their good luck. They said they weren’t here to wish him good luck, they aren’t The Miztourage anymore and are The B Team, which stands for “Daniel Bryan” and hope he wins. They are pitching their own show called, “Total Fellas”, but with a B so it would be “Total Bellas”.
THE MIZ VS DANIEL BRYAN
Maryse was seated in the front row.
Bryan makes a fist as the match begins. Miz took a cheap shot off the break in the corner. Miz proceeded with the Yes kicks in the corner and a running dropkick before Bryan came with his own strikes.
Miz applied the surf board, Bryan broke free and kicked at the legs and he applied his own surf board, bridging Miz onto his shoulders. Miz placed Bryan on the top rope and clotheslined him off.
Miz was in control for a period until Bryan fired back with a sliding dropkick and flying crossbody to the floor.
Bryan crotched Miz on the top into the tree of woe position and kicked away at his chest and hit a running dropkick. Bryan continued with a belly-to-back superplex and both were down.
Bryan landed many kicks to the chest and then Miz kicked out the knee, hit a DDT and got a two-count. Miz landed the kicks to the chest that Bryan absorbed and leaned into, stood up to Miz and slapped Miz repeatedly before a dragon screw leg whip. Bryan kicked him in the head and set up in the corner and went for the Busaiku knee, was stopped, Miz hit a slingshot into the post and hit the Skull Crushing Finale for a near fall.
Miz kicked out from a head kick. They went to the apron, Bryan missed with a kick and hit the post.
Miz applied the figure-four, Bryan punched at Miz and reversed the submission and Miz reached the rope.
Bryan landed a series of downward elbows, applied the Yes Lock, Miz tried to bite the hand to break free and finally made it to the rope. Bryan landed a knee of the apron sending Miz in front of Maryse in the front row.
Miz was given a foreign object by Maryse, he cracked Bryan with it as he attempted a suicide dive, passed the object off to Maryse and ran into the ring to pin Bryan.
WINNER: THE MIZ AT 23:26
It was a well-worked match and didn’t drag despite being the longest match on the show so far. It builds for a return match or even a mixed tag with Brie Bella getting involved to counter Maryse.
I liked the match a lot, not the best match on the show, but the finish was the right way to continue the program and both worked very well together.
BARON CORBIN VS FINN BALOR
Finn Balor came out as “The Demon” and got a big reaction, which this match needed so late in the show.
Corbin looked frightened and yelled that it wasn’t what they agreed on.
Balor landed a shotgun dropkick, hit a tope con giro to the floor. Coach doesn’t understand why he doesn’t do this more often with the Demon.
Balor landed the running dropkick into the corner, hit the coup de grace and won.
WINNER: FINN BALOR AT 1:31
This was perfect for what it needed to be, a great way to book this match.
Daniel Bryan was being checked on by a trainer, Brie Bella came in and he was upset he didn’t prepare for Maryse. Bryan says he needed to win this match and his return has been a bust. Brie gave him a pep talk and his persistence allowed him to fight for his dreams. Bryan told Brie to go back out and enjoy the show as he would proceed to “punch some walls.”
SHINSUKE NAKAMURA VS JEFF HARDY FOR THE UNITED STATES TITLE
Hardy mocked Nakamura and did his mannerisms, upsetting Nakamura.
Nakamura draped Hardy over the edge and hit a knee strike from the floor and one to the back of the neck.
Nakamura attacked the shoulder, which Hardy required surgery on last year.
Hardy attacked his knee as he ran into the corner, Hardy followed with Whisper in the Wind for a two-count.
The audience seems tired by this point.
Nakamura drove his knee into Hardy’s body, set up for the Kinshasa but was stopped by Hardy. Nakamura swung for the low blow, but Hardy got out of the way. Hardy hit the Twist of Fate and climbed to the top and hit the Swanton, he climbed on top as Nakamura grabbed the bottom rope.
Hardy hit another Twist of Fate, removed his shirt for added power as he climbed and on top of the ring post, went for a Swanton onto the edge of the apron and missed. This looked insane.
Nakamura hit the Kinshasa in the ring and pinned him.
WINNER: SHINSUKE NAKAMURA AT 10:58 TO RETAIN THE UNITED STATES TITLE
Nakamura left Hardy down in the ring and Randy Orton came out. He was about to attack but then turned around and left.
They were in the toughest spot on the card and the audience didn’t get into it until the crazy Swanton spot, which was insane.
ALEXA BLISS VS RONDA ROUSEY FOR THE RAW WOMEN’S TITLE
Natalya came out first and was wearing her father’s ring jacket from SummerSlam 1990 and was a great moment.
The Bella Twins were shown in the crowd.
Bliss started the match the same way Miz did, by leaning inside the ropes to keep Rousey away. Rousey dropped her with a right hand and Bliss remained on the floor. Rousey gave her back to Bliss to come back inside and closed her eyes. Bliss ran in and tried to apply a rear-naked choke, Rousey stood up and broke free and hit the reverse kata guruma.
Rousey fired up after eating Bliss’ offense, she threw Bliss repeatedly while yelling at Bliss. She yelled to the audience if she should break her arm and set up for the arm lock and bent it backward as Bliss screamed. Rousey applied the arm lock and Bliss tapped.
WINNER: RONDA ROUSEY AT 4:39 TO WIN THE RAW WOMEN’S TITLE
Natalya came in and hugged Rousey as they celebrated.
The Bella Twins came in and hugged Rousey as well.
Rousey ran over to Travis Browne in the front row with the title.
Then we had a Hell in a Cell promo featuring Snapchat and the tagline, “there is no filter, just hell.”
BROCK LESNAR VS ROMAN REIGNS FOR THE UNIVERSAL TITLE
The pre-match video featured a Paul Heyman speech stating, “history is written by the victors” as they aired clips of Lesnar’s wins over Reigns from WrestleMania and Greatest Royal Rumble.
Following the introductions, Braun Strowman came out and stated he refused to be a coward and cash in his briefcase when his opponent’s back is turned. He does things “face-to-face”, wished them luck and referred to Lesnar as “beastie boy”. He stated he would stand ringside and before the end of the night, one of them would “get these hands”.
Reigns landed three superman punches immediately followed by three spears, but on the final one, Lesnar caught him with a guillotine. Reigns slammed his way out of it. Lesnar re-applied the guillotine, Reigns got to his feet and slammed out of it again.
Lesnar removed his gloves and began hitting German suplexes. The audience started chanting, “you both suck” at them.
Reigns set up for a spear, he missed Lesnar and took out Strowman with a suicide dive. Lesnar lifted Strowman and hit the F5 on the floor. Lesnar attacked Strowman with the briefcase and tossed it all the way to the entrance. Lesnar hit Strowman with chair shots.
Lesnar brought the chair into the ring, was speared and Reigns pinned him.
WINNER: ROMAN REIGNS AT 6:09 TO WIN THE UNIVERSAL TITLE
The show ended just after 11 pm, there was no cash-in by Strowman.
